


Save Me From Myself

by MeGaLoTrash



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Family Reunions, Heartbreak, Implied Edgepuff (see notes), M/M, Mpreg, Panic Attacks, Post-Apocalypse, Spicyhoney - Freeform, Survival Horror, Themes of infidelity, Underfell Papyrus, Underfell Sans, Underswap Papyrus, Underswap Sans, mentions of death/undead, non-graphic birth, skelepreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 13:52:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15002243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeGaLoTrash/pseuds/MeGaLoTrash
Summary: When everything in Stretch’s world was turned upside down by an outbreak in his city, he’s struggling to survive. The only thing that’s keeping him fighting against the odds is the hope that he’ll find his mate again, but with everything that’s happened can it ever be the same?For the awesome alexins who asked for a spicyhoney pregnancy fic in a post apocalyptic world with a LOT of interesting twists. (did i mention they’re awesome?) i worked really hard on this as i loved the idea, so i really hope you enjoy it!





	Save Me From Myself

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alexins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexins/gifts).



> this work has themes of infedility and themes around death- please read the end notes if these are triggers for you before reading the fic <3

_The weatherman was calling this weekend the ‘hottest June since records began’ and while Stretch didn’t usually take anything he said too seriously he could definitely believe them now. He could feel the bright mid-day sun scorching his bones now as he carried a tray of iced drinks into his garden. Edge was already outside working on the inflatable toys for their pool, trying his hardest not to puncture them on his sharpened teeth. It was a sight that had Stretch shaking with restrained laughter as he set down the tray, fully intending on playfully mocking his husband when he finished his task._

_“Mom! Dad! Watch this!”_

_Stretch held back his teasing for now, coming to sit down next to Edge as they watched their child on the other side of the pool. Their little babybones seemed far too small for the inflatable ring they had around their middle, but that didn’t stop their eyes sparkling from having both their parent’s attention. Stretch watched as they took a deep breath and jumped into the pool, narrowly missing a few of their friends that were swimming nearby. He had almost got up to check if they were ok when Edge grabbed his arm, pointing to the center of the floatation tube where their child was grinning widely. They had definitely inherited Edge’s penchant for thrill-seeking that was for sure, something Stretch had to constantly remind himself of so he didn’t panic._

_With their little one squealing with joy and splashing with his friends, Stretch leaned back to grab their drinks. The ice-cold juice was heaven, only made better when he felt Edge’s arm pull him into an embrace. They sat and watched the kids playing for a few moments, enjoying the sights and sounds of summer as well as each other’s company. Stretch couldn’t think of anything more perfect when he felt his husband place a soft kiss on the side of his skull._

_“You Know-” Edge spoke in a whisper as he looked at Stretch with lidded sockets, his intentions as obvious as the fluttering in Stretch’s soul. “We Should Head Inside While We Have Some Time Alo-”_

_A piercing scream interrupted Edge. Stretch looked frantically back at the pool to locate his child, springing to his feet when he couldn’t see them straight away. When he did eventually find them it felt like his soul shattered into a million pieces. One of their friends had them in a death grip, sharpened fangs cracking and breaking their bones as they bit down on their shoulder. The monster kid’s features were gaunt and sunken as puss oozed from various open wounds and into the water of the pool. They were infected, and Stretch was too late to save his precious baby from succumbing to the same fate._

_Stretch turned around for help but his mate had vanished. He turned back to the pool to see that the number of undead had multiplied, surrounding his child while the sickening crunch of breaking bones echoed in the air. Gone was the idyllic scene he had been enjoying previously, in its place a was swarm of infected monsters and humans tearing up everything in their way._

_“edge!” Stretch called for his partner, his voice barely above a whisper as grotesque bodies surrounded him on every side. “please- i can’t- edge!” tears fell from his sockets while he was backed into a wall, the fear of facing his death alone pulling him into the depths of despair. “edge! help- please e-_

“edge!”

Stretch sat bolt upright on his makeshift bed, smacking his hands over his mouth to muffle any further noises as his instincts kicked in. While it took a few moments to separate his vivid dream from reality, there was one thing he knew for sure. The undead were a very real and constant threat to survival on earth. What was worse, with the supply of fresh victims rapidly dwindling the horde had become sensitive to noise. His outburst could have drawn them close, and he was in no position to run for his life right now. Stretch sat there in silence, only daring to breathe with his hands clasped over his mouth as he sat completely still in the darkness. He just needed to listen...and wait. 

After a few agonising moments, Stretch breathed a small sigh of relief. The only sounds he could hear was rain on the steel roof of the bus shelter, a perfect cover for his own noises, and the rustling of a sleeping bag next to him. Red, his one remaining companion in this living hell, made himself known with a grunt. The usual heavy sleeper must have either heard his cry or sensed how tense Stretch was from a few feet away. 

“are ya ok? somethin’ wrong?” Red asked while rubbing the dark circles under his sockets. 

Stretch clenched his teeth. He wanted to cry, to curl up next to Red and sob until he couldn’t breathe, but that wasn’t fair. Red liked to keep watch whenever they bunked down in a new place, but while they had been in the broken down coach for a few nights already Red was still on high alert. Which meant he had probably only just laid down to sleep himself. With everything Red did for Stretch, he couldn’t ask for more. He needed to at least pretend to be strong, for both their sakes. 

“just a bad dream, i’m fine-” Stretch was thankful they were in the dark when he felt a solitary tear roll down his cheekbone. He winced when Red scoffed at his blatant lie. “try and get some more sleep, ok? i’ll keep watch.”

Red was obviously too tired to argue or even think about getting up just yet, mumbling something about staying close while turning back over to try and sleep. Stretch shivered as he pulled on his coat. The coach they were hauled up in had its back end busted wide open, a perfect means of escape but one that made a draft flow through both ends. He tried to shimmy out of his sleeping bag slowly, afraid of disturbing Red again if he made too much noise. This proved to be harder than it should have been, but then he did have to contend with his stomach bumping into everything in sight. 

It was hard to do anything with stealth or grace when you were nine months pregnant. 

Stretch eventually made it to the front of the coach, lowering himself down onto the step so he could look out at the rain. The station might have been drafty and there were more than a dozen leaks in the roof, but the coach they were sleeping in was in a dry spot with a good vantage point to the main exit. It wasn’t great but it was better than being on the road, at least for the immediate future. Without doctor's check-ups or a calender Stretch couldn’t know for sure when his due date was. All he knew was how he felt, and he just knew it was going to be soon. He rubbed his hand protectively over his stomach, thankful that the bulky coat he had on was thick enough to hide his condition even now. That was meant to be reassuring, his ability to conceal his pregnancy stopped them looking like easy targets, but the remnants of his nightmare were still making themselves know. He took in a few calming breaths, hoping that if he went through it in the dim light of dawn it would stop feeling so fucking _real_.

The difference Stretch’s dream and reality was that it showed a future that would never come to pass. He may be pregnant now; but the baby bones in his dream had been happy, healthy, and at least 5 years old. With the way the world was now, Stretch hadn’t let himself hope that he would be able to carry to term. Much less, to think that it was likely his baby would survive long when he could scarcely keep himself safe. But even if they beat all the odds, survived long enough for the infection to be eradicated, there would still be one of the most important parts of the dream missing. 

Stretch hadn’t seen Edge since the day of the outbreak. 

There was a chance that Edge had managed to survive just like Stretch had. But as the weeks turned into months with no sign of him, Stretch was coming to terms with the possibility of losing his partner forever. It felt so wrong to go through his entire pregnancy with Edge's brother rather than Edge himself, but he still had Red. Without him, Stretch was sure that he wouldn’t have survived this long. To any other survivors they met, they just looked like a couple just trying to get by. Red wanted to keep it that way so people didn’t ask questions, their situation and Stretch’s pregnancy would only draw unwanted attention. Red had become so good at hiding their past that he seldom talked about anything before the outbreak, shutting down Stretch every time he tried to talk about it with a pained look on his face. 

The only time Stretch got to think about what happened was when he was alone. He did a quick check of his surroundings, making sure there wasn’t any movement and that Red was still asleep. Finding no one but himself for company, Stretch took a swig from his thermos and let his sockets slip shut to the sound of the hammering rain. 

Before the outbreak, Stretch and Edge had everything going for them. They had a house together, great friends and family around them, and had been happily married for just over a year. They may have got off to a slow start relationship wise, but if Stretch was being honest with himself he had been smitten since he laid eyes on the other skeleton. Edge worked with the government, specialising in monster-human relations and de-escalating violent situations. It wasn’t the most pleasant work but he was good at it and it had led him to meet Stretch’s brother, Blue. 

Blue’s work with the police force meant that he worked closely with Edge’s department, leading to a lot of late nights when they were working on a complex case. Stretch could remember with perfect clarity the day when Blue had brought some of his work home with him, and Edge along for the ride. Stretch had managed not to burn dinner for once, blushed when Edge complimented his cooking, and lost track of time when they started talking about work. While Stretch always thought his position as an elementary school teacher was nothing compared to the excitement of Blue’s job, Edge had been intent on getting him to talk about himself. The whole evening had left a fluttering feeling in his soul, but Stretch had convinced himself that spark was all in his head.

That had worked pretty well until Stretch noticed that Edge would start coming over for the most bizarre reasons. He cringed remembering how he and Edge were skirting around each other for weeks before Blue got so frustrated and tricked them into going on a date. It had been so awkward with both of them furiously blushing behind their menus, but after a few hours they both started to loosen up. By the end of the date they had agreed to a second, then a third, with Stretch falling deeper every time he saw Edge’s stoic expression crack into a smile. Stretch remembered feeling like he was the one, but being scared of coming on too strong. If he could turn the clock back he wouldn’t have waited so long to tell Edge he loved him, but hindsight could only bring him pain now. 

A few years went by without a hitch. They got married, bought a house, and Stretch helped Red get a job as a medic at his school. Everyone teased Red relentlessly about being the school nurse, but despite the jokes it was obviously Edge was proud of his brother. Stretch opened his sockets in the present, leaning back to check over his sleeping companion again. Red’s limited medical knowledge had been a lifesaver for both of them over the past few months, with Red being able to dress wounds and find stashes of medication in public buildings. Edge would be so proud of his brother now. Stretch sighed and took another sip of the lukewarm liquid in his flask. He hoped that Edge would be proud of him too.

Stretch winced as the pleasant memories of his previous life were torn apart by the horrors of the world he lived in now. He could remember the day when the infection hit so clearly even now. The day had started normally, but it was the frantic call from Edge at lunch imploring him to leave that started the descent into chaos. He had done as instructed, grabbed Red and met a very anxious Blue at their home. Blue’s phone was ringing off the hook, but he ignored it all to let them know what was going on. There was a deadly virus that had originally only been infecting humans, but a monster had been bitten and it was now spreading twice as fast through beings made of magic. It sounded like something out of one of Red’s bootleg horror films, with Stretch not believing his brother until he looked at his face. Blue was a terrible liar and there was nothing but pure fear in his usually sparkling eyelights. 

Edge called Red’s cell when he couldn’t get a hold of Blue and Stretch was sobbing and screaming at him to come home until he told them they were shooting deserters on sight. Blue reassured him that he was going to find a way to get him out so they could leave together, giving Stretch one final hug before speeding off on his bike, never to be seen or heard from again.

It took Stretch soaking the front of his coat for him to realise he was crying. He wiped the tears away, knowing that he hated remembering the next part even more than watching his brother disappear on the horizon. It made him shake uncontrollably every time he thought about watching his front door breaking down from a swarm of undead. Edge had promised that he would come for them, that they should stay in the house until he got there, but it became impossible when the horde began destroying the home they had so lovingly built together. Red had the sense to pull an almost catatonic Stretch out the house and head for cover, saving more lives than he knew that day. 

Stretch never did get to tell Edge that he was going to be a father. 

Stretch came back to his senses, took a quick glance around to make sure that he was still alone, and cursed himself for becoming so lost in his thoughts. It was much lighter outside now, but with the storm it was clear that the sun wasn’t going to make a proper appearance today. The heavy rain didn’t offer much in the way of visibility, but even the undead were drawn to shelter from some remaining primal instincts. By the looks of things, they were being drawn to _his_ shelter, so he tried to take comfort in that for now. He left his eyes lazily focus on the scenery, his mind easily able to replace the desolate setting with the more vibrant one he remembered of this part of town. For a few moments it was comforting, the past few days had felt like he was finally coming home from a long and arduous journey. Red had been reluctant for months to return to the capital, what little word they had made it seem like it was a war zone. He had eventually caved when they had been travelling close and found nothing but a wasteland to greet them. 

Stretch had always held out hope that Blue, Edge, or both of them had made it out alive but seeing downtown so utterly destroyed had dashed his remaining hopes. The downtown area had been quarantined by the time their house was over-run, meaning that Stretch couldn’t even go looking for either of them when they fled. He and Red had waited a few days in the nearby woods before Stretch had broke and almost ran right back. But Red had stopped him, making Stretch regret that he had told the other skeleton he was pregnant when they first escaped. No matter how much it hurt to leave his brother and husband behind, Red had been right about not only risking his life if he went back. It just felt so pointless to carry on when the ones he loved were likely-

A loud bang made Stretch drop his drink on the nearby step. He tried to convince himself it was the thunder overhead but it had sounded far too close, far too _uneven_ , to be something organic. Stretch held his breath as his soul hammered hard in his chest, time slowing to an almost standstill as he strained his hearing. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he could have sworn he heard voices talking softly through the downpour. It may not have been as while not as troubling as the groans of the undead, but if they were hostile, then he and Red were in deep shit. 

As quietly as he could Stretch shuffled back into the abandoned coach. He knew that staying low and undetected was his best option if the newcomers were armed. This did mean that he was a lot slower but the soft rocking movement had managed to wake Red by the time he reached him. The other skeleton took one look at Stretch’s panic face and knew there was trouble, silently crawling towards him while retrieving the gun they kept on the nearby seat. 

“some banging near the entrance, heard a few people talking too” Stretch filled Red in as he loaded the gun, trying to keep a level head while the rest of his body was screaming in pure terror. He’d gotten pretty good at compartmentalising, but that didn’t make the threat any easier to deal with internally. “no visuals but i think they were whispering- i don’t- i don’t know if that’s good or bad”

“it’s bad until we know otherwise” Red mumbled, giving Stretch one last glance before he headed into the unknown. “stay hidden, i’m gonna call out for them but if anything happens to me... ya gotta run.” 

Already emotional, Stretch fought back tears as what Red told him sunk in. Overall their time together they always defended themselves as a team no matter what, but Stretch was so vulnerable right now that his help was no longer an option. He needed to stay hidden and hope that he didn’t have to make the choice about whether abandoning Red would give him and his baby the best chance of survival. Because he knew the answer wasn’t one he was ready to deal with. 

“hey! anyone there?” Red called from the front of the bus, clear and confident to hide the way his hands were shaking around the gun. “i mean no harm, don’t ‘ave any supplies but-” Red’s eyes briefly darted back towards where Stretch was hiding, his expression apologising for omitting anything to do with him.“ i’m ready to fight if yer do anythin’ stupid”

There was a pause, a distinct sound of an argument before Stretch heard footsteps approaching. He wanted to crane his head and see what was happening, but the runner was heading straight towards the coach and most likely meant to harm them. He heard Red cocking the gun before he gasped and the footsteps stopped. There was silence before a voice he thought he would never hear again echoed through the abandoned station.

“Red? Is- Is That Really You?”

Stretch scrambled to his feet, needing visual confirmation before he jumped to any conclusions. With the way Red was staring out with tears in his eyes he just knew it had to be true. Stretch choked back his own sobs when he laid eyes on his brother. Blue looked like he’d been through hell, his skull stained with dirt and his left arm was covered in crude bandages, but his tired eyes sparkled when he saw Stretch. Blue ran to them with open arms, all of their wariness forgotten in a moment of pure joy. Red still positioned himself in front of Stretch by habit, and when Blue flung his arms around them Stretch understood why. His bump was very prominent and Red was giving him time to process getting his brother back before he had to drop that bombshell. 

“I Can’t Believe We Found You! We’d Almost Given Up, But I Just _Knew_ You Were Still Alive” Blue beamed at them both through the tears, placing kisses on both of their skulls while he tried to contain his excitement.

Stretch wanted to scream with joy, to let himself feel happy for once, but he was so shocked that holding Blue didn’t even feel real. “i’m-i’m so glad you’re ok” He managed to say eventually, though it just felt like an automatic response. 

It was hard to stay positive about seeing his brother without Edge being with him. 

“blue, what d’ya mean we?” Red asked, picking up his gun again as a second figure slowly approached. “is he with ya?”

Stretch felt his soul skip a beat before he realised that the figure was far too short to be Edge, further dampening his hopes for his mate's survival. If Edge wasn’t with Blue, if Blue never managed to find him in time, then he was as good as dead. _or worse._

“Yes! That’s Sans!” Blue replied, waving the newcomer over with a huge smile on his face. “We Found Few Survivors On The Way. They’re Skeleton Monsters Just Like Us!” he placed his hand on Stretch’s shoulder, giving his brother a strange kind of smile before adding, “Edge Is Just Helping Papyrus, He’ll Be Here In A Second.”

_edge was alive?!_ The tears that Stretch had been holding back started to fall as Blue nodded in confirmation, making sure that there wasn’t any doubt in what he had said. All those months of worrying and despair paled in comparison to the pure joy Stretch felt from knowing that both his brother and his husband were alive. It all felt too good to be true. That happy feeling did waver when Sans reached the coach and collapsed into its side. 

“um- yer doin’ ok there bud?” Red asked while eyeing Sans cautiously, the same panic that Stretch was feeling written all over his face. 

“i’ve seen better days, ”Sans laughed “i’m not infected though if that’s what you’re worried about. bad fracture, taking all my energy to heal and i’m run down.” he gestured at his left leg, the makeshift splint obvious now they knew what they were looking for. 

Both Stretch and Red visibly relaxed from the reassurance, but Stretch couldn’t tear his eyes away from the other skeleton’s leg. He was hyper-focused on the faded red rags that were holding it together, noticing how they looked like strips of Edge’s scarf. Sans shifted uncomfortably at the scrutiny, clearly uneasy at the way Stretch looked like he was going to break.

“i ain't gonna bite ya unless you turn into a burger or something, so no need to look at me like that.” 

“sorry i didn’t mean-” Stretch said before more figures appeared in the entrance of the shelter. His soul began beating hard when he recognized the standard uniform Edge had to wear for his old job. “is- oh god- is that?”

“edge and my bro, yeah” Sans offered while Blue ran back to where the two figures were moving slowly towards them. “he’s a good guy- blue’s been looking after me since i hurt my leg, but edge hasn’t left paps side” he smiled at Stretch, the genuine admiration in his tired eyes clear as day. “it’s sweet.”

Stretch tried to ignore the odd feeling he got from what Sans said, smiled politely, and turned back to watch as his mate came into view. Edge was surprisingly slow even with Blue grabbing what looked to be sleeping bags from him, but the closer he got the more it became clear that he was supporting Papyrus’s weight. Stretch wondered if he had also been injured like Sans, but he couldn’t see any bandages or splints like his brother. Papyrus was walking oddly though, and he had his hand on his stomach like he needed to support the weight of it or-

_oh no_

Papyrus was pregnant. The closer he and Edge got to the coach, the more obvious it became. His stomach was protruding proudly through his wet clothing, clinging so tight that he might as well of had a neon sign pointing to the bump. It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together with the way Edge was holding Papyrus that there was something between them, and Stretch could feel the moment his soul sank in realisation. He was so torn between being the joy of seeing Edge alive and the pure devastation of realising that he’d moved on.

Red had come to the same conclusion, cursing under his breath before he slipped a hand on Stretch’s shoulder but he was far past comfort. The chatter of everyone approaching blurred into white noise while Stretch curled in on himself, hiding the one thing that had kept him going all these months. He _hated_ Papyrus; hated the way Papyrus was clinging to the skeleton who was meant to be his husband and hated the way Edge’s strong frame was supporting his own. Papyrus looked to be less further along than he was, but Edge had moved on pretty fast if Papyrus was showing so much already. Stretch knew that the circumstances were dire and that he shouldn’t blame them for finding comfort in each other if they thought he was dead. But it hurt so fucking much that Stretch couldn’t even will himself to think straight.

He was pretty sure the stress was gonna make him hurl, but he knew hearing about how Edge found Papyrus was going to make him even worse. 

“so, wanna tell us where ya been at all this time?” Red asked when they were all safely inside the coach, his tone sharp and his grin forced as he tried to conceal his own distaste. 

“I’d Love To Catch Up But-” Blue started. 

“-We Haven’t Slept In Three Days, And With Papyrus’s… Condition.” Edge continued, finally speaking up tactfully avoid talking about the elephant in the room. 

Edge’s gravelly tone making Stretch shiver despite himself. It had just been so long since Stretch heard his husband’s voice that Edge could rip his soul in two and Stretch would still listen intently. Not that anything he said could make Stretch feel even worse than he did. The fact that Edge wasn’t leaving Papyrus’s side as he arranged a bed for him just sealed the deal on how little his former mate cared for his feelings. 

“I’m Sorry, I Really Am-” Edge added in a hushed tone. “We Need To Rest Before We Collapse.”

Stretch tried not to notice how Edge had his sleeping bag in the seats opposite to Papyrus. He tried to ignore the feeling when Papyrus accidentally bared his stomach when peeling off some of his wet clothing. The flash of the tiny souling inside the orange magic definitely wasn’t shattering his own soul into a million pieces. 

“sure thing, make yerselfs at home.” Red’s voice was dripping with sarcasm, but the others were either too tired to notice or too worn out to care. “me and stretch will keep watch, right buddy?” 

It took Stretch a few moments to realise that Red was trying to remove him from the situation. He pushed himself to his feet again, careful not to give away his own condition in the way he moved. He was almost in the clear when Papyrus caught his hand, smiling warmly when Stretch turned back to face him. 

“Thank You So Much! You’re Both So Kind And Lovely, We’ve Heard So Much About You But-” Papyrus gestured to his stomach, hitting the final nail in the coffin of this shit-show of a day. “This Little One Is Insisting That I Need To Sleep, Now.”

Stretch knew his smile was more of a grimace but it was better than him screaming at the other skeleton. Papyrus had done nothing wrong, nor had the child inside him, and they needed to rest if they were going to survive. But that didn’t mean Stretch had to be around to watch them rub it in his face. As soon as they reached the entrance of the coach Red motioned for him to keep quiet, glancing behind his shoulder to see if they had fallen asleep yet. Stretch tried to hold off breaking down while they waited, but he couldn’t stop pacing or gnawing at one of his finger bones.

When it looked like the other skeletons were fully asleep, Red set off for the entrance and dragged Stretch along with him. With every step Stretch could feel himself breaking. His sockets were blurry, his bones shaking and it felt like all the air was being pulled out of his pseudo lungs. Being a skeleton meant that he hadn’t needed to breathe before. But with his body permanently formed for the baby, it felt like he was going to pass out from a lack of oxygen. He expected Red to slap some sense into him, or to call him ungrateful for not being content with them just being alive. So the tight embrace he pulled Stretch into was a shock big enough to finally break the dam on his emotions. 

“that’s it stretch, let it out.” Red held Stretch close while he sobbed his heart out, careful to stand as close as he could to the rain to mask wails of anguish as best they could. “i’m so sorry, such a fucked up situation, but ya have every right t’be angry” he added, rubbing his back reassuringly as he took most of his weight. “we just need to find out what happened to ‘em y’know?”

Even through his inner turmoil, Stretch knew Red was right. They had been through hell, but if Edge and Blue had stayed in the capital this whole time then they had been through worse. He knew he shouldn’t be mad at any of them, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t. With his baby due any day now it wasn’t like he could stay around them either. He started to panic, thinking the worst and imagining how painful it would be to have Edge reject him with a newborn. 

“I-i can’t stay here-” Stretch whined as his mind bombarded him with more awful scenarios. He wouldn’t be able to cope with this situation in any circumstances, but with a baby on the way he was in a state of pure panic. “they're gonna find out i’m- i can’t have the baby here- i just- if he’s moved on and has a family i can’t-i can’t then have him choose papyrus over- over-”

Red grabbed Stretch’s hands to try and calm him down and stop him from hurting himself. Without another outlet for his building adrenaline he just started sobbing again, his voice cracking from the hysterics. Red’s expression shifted from one of reassurance to understanding. 

“shit. yeah, i hear ya” Red said, panic filtering into his own voice as tried to figure out what to do. “we need to find someplace safe for a few days, until, well y’know- this ain't the best situation to ‘ave a baby in.”

Stretch nodded. He knew it was so stupid to leave their shelter in his condition, even more so to leave after just being reunited with his family, but it wasn't like he had a choice. This amount of stress would make having his baby traumatic at best. At worst… he didn't even want to think about what complications this amount of pain could cause. He followed Red back to the coach waiting outside while he snuck in to gather supplies. Stretch tried to keep himself as calm as possible, not even daring to watch in case he caught sight of either Papyrus or Edge. 

“just, lemme write a note, and leave ‘em one of these.” Red whispered when he came back out, shaking one of their walkie-talkies in his hand. “look, i know ya don’t wanna see ‘em but, if somethin’ happens to me- they’re ya only option.”

It seemed pointless to argue with Red now, so Stretch just nodded again and hoped that would be enough. He hadn’t needed to ask Red to come with him, the idea of leaving Stretch alone didn’t even cross his mind. That didn’t mean it wasn’t a huge thing to take on though; to choose to leave his own brother when he had no real ties to Stretch was really selfless. So if Red wanted to take precautions and keep in contact with them, then Stretch was in no position to argue. With a vague note left about why they were leaving, Red and Stretch pulled up their hoods and headed out into the downpour.

They just needed to get some distance, to find somewhere safe to lay low for a few days while they figured stuff out. But they had only been walking for ten minutes when Stretch realised there was something wrong. He had been experiencing shooting pains around his magic and a feeling of sickness that wasn’t passing no matter how far they walked. He had originally put it down to the shock, but in the back of his mind he knew there was more to it. Stretch was falling behind already from not being able to keep up with Red, but he didn’t want to call out for him and risk compromising their position. He tried to move faster, just catching up to Red when he felt a warm wetness splash all over his legs. 

“red!” Stretch called while shaking his friend, not wanting to admit what was happening but being all out of options. “the baby, they’re- oh fuck- ah!” 

Red’s sockets went wide as Stretch buckled in pain, the splatter of orange magic on the pavement telling him all he needed to know. 

“ok, ok- shit. ya really pick fucking ya fucking moments stretch” Red looked around frantically before he laughed despite himself.“ holy fuck dude, ya not gonna believe where we are.”

Stretch followed where Red was pointing, laughing himself when a familiar sight greeted him. They had somehow wandered right by the school they used to work at. It was probably some bullshit about their subconscious walking a familiar route, but right now it felt like a bloody miracle. Red supported most of Stretch’s weight as they made their way towards the school, keeping an eye out for any movement in or around the building. Even though they were happy to find somewhere they knew the school had broken windows and debris in the playground. There was no way to tell what had happened here in the months since the outbreak, so they needed to stay on alert until they were safely inside.  
Instead of heading for the main entrance Red guided Stretch to the side of the building instead. Stretch was unsure at first until he spotted a white door that hit him with a wave of nostalgia. The annex Red was talking him towards was one of the only places without security camera coverage. Which in a ‘no smoking’ school, had become a safe haven for teachers and staff with the nasty habit. Stretch had so many fond memories of lunch breaks spent hanging out with Red here, including the time that they had gotten locked out for an hour. Which was why the door’s lock had then mysteriously broken a few days later, conveniently making the worry of being caught out disappear. 

Red left Stretch to lean up against the wall for a second as he tested the door, flashing him a devious smile when it creaked open. 

“bet ya glad i fucked it up now, right?” Red gloated before coming back to help Stretch inside, whistling through his teeth when they turned the corner to the main hallway. “jeez, this place has really seen better days.”

The school was a war zone. Old lockers and plastic chairs littered the floor in various states of disarray, with graffiti littering the walls and windows to classrooms being smashed in. Thankfully there was a lack of any corpses, still or animated, so the likelihood was that the school had only been hit by vandals. Stretch was relieved at first, but that was before he noticed the scorch marks on the walls. His magic ran cold when he saw that the canteen had been heavily barricaded and could swear he saw the door start to move. Stretch knew they were in serious shit when he heard voices behind the door, the tell-tale groan of the undead making him freeze.

“can-can you hear that?” Stretch said in a panicked whisper. 

“yeah it’s coming from-” Red got cut off by the canteen door breaking as a dozen limbs pushed through. “the doors not gonna hold. fuck! run!” 

Stretch tried to get his feet to move but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from where more human and monster limbs broke through the barricade. He had no idea how many undead there were but he knew he was doomed. Red came back to shake sense into him, which got him to move, but it was too late. The door collapsed and a horde started towards them. Stretch’s self-preservation finally kicked in and he bolted, running up a nearby staircase to escape the mob. He was halfway up the second floor when he realised Red wasn’t behind him, but there was no way he could turn back now. He kept climbing, ran through one of the corridors and then progressed to the top floor, shutting doors and throwing down obstacles as he went.

With sufficient distance between Stretch and the horde, with no signs of them following, he collapsed in a nearby classroom. Running wasn’t the most labour appropriate activity and as the immediate fight or flight instinct faded he was hit by a series of strong contractions. Stretch managed to shove a chair near the door to keep it closed before crawling over to the window. He had heard a commotion outside and was able to see some of the horde in the playground all heading in the same direction. The idea that Red had gone outside and lured them with him filled Stretch with both hope and horror. Red’s sacrifice could end in his death. While luring them away could increase Stretch’s chances of survival, he had no idea how he was going to deliver his baby by himself.  
For the first time since the outbreak, Stretch was truly alone. 

There was no time for Stretch to dwell on his fears when his contractions were coming in harder each time. He crawled over to a nearby cupboard and opened it carefully, trying to find anything he could to help. There were thankfully a few throws that the school used for outdoor teaching, which while not perfect were better than nothing. He placed one on the ground and tore up the second, leaving a large section for the baby but giving himself something to bite down on and muffle his screams. Stretch carefully peeled his ruined pants down, wincing at the pain but trying to fill himself with determination. He tried his best to push his fears aside and listen to his body. He needed to do this, he had no choice but to be strong if he wanted both of them to make it out alive. He couldn’t give up now. 

Hours passed while Stretch laid there in agony, unable to make a sound for fear of drawing any unwanted attention. But this meant that he couldn’t call for help, making his sense of isolation grow by the second. He was exhausted from both the adrenaline rush and trying to push before he was ready. No matter what he tried he couldn’t drown out the voice in his head telling him he couldn’t do this. He was fighting the urge to give up completely, convinced that no one would even find him if he did. Stretch wanted to see his child so much, but what good would he be to them if he brought them into the world when he couldn’t survive himself? Dark thoughts clouded his judgement, too tired to even cry it out. He was so far gone that he started to hallucinate. He could see the door handle turning, the door breaking, and a million undead swarming into the room. 

He blinked to refocus his vision, panic setting in when the door didn’t stop rattling. 

Stretch froze. He knew he didn’t have the strength to get up in his condition, let alone defend himself. He tried to hide his breathing behind his hand but he couldn’t calm down. But then he realised that there were easier ways into the room than trying to get the door to budge, huge open windows lined the door to the corridor and the undead would have surely smashed them by now. It had to be Red looking for him! He saw the door jangle again when he cried out with another contraction. There was a pause and then the sound of the door being kicked down with flashes of a ripped uniform appearing as the door started to buckle. 

It wasn’t Red.

“edge! i’m- ah!” Stretch reached out towards the other skeleton, no longer caring if he found out. The rejection was going to sting, but Edge was his chance for him and his baby to make it out of this alive. “i’m sorry i need your help- i-i’m in-”

“I’ve Found Him, He’s Alive But The Baby Isn’t Here Yet-” Edge spoke into the walkie talky they left as he came towards him, stunning Stretch into silence when he heard the baby being mentioned so matter of factly. “Top Floor, Left Corridor. Make Sure You’re Not Followed.”

“h-how did you-”

“Red Got Hold Of Me. I Know Why You Ran, But I Can’t Believe Red Agreed Without Talking To Me.” Edge said while coming down to where Stretch was hunched over, checking him over for any injuries as he carried on talking. “Blue’s With Sans And Papyrus-” he looked Stretch in the eyes, a pained look on his face as he reached his hand out to sooth Stretch’s cheekbone like he used too. “This Isn’t The Time To Talk About This Pet, But You Need To Hear It- Papyrus Was Pregnant When We Found Them, He Needed Our Help And I Couldn’t Leave Them To Die.” Tears welled in his sockets as Stretch shook his head in shock, hardly believing what he was hearing. “It’s Always Been You, I Never Gave Up Hope”

Stretch wanted to scream, he couldn’t believe how stupid he’d been. There was no lie or malice in his mate’s eyes, only truth. “edge i’m so sorry- i - oh fuck-”

Another contraction hit Stretch hard and he doubled over in pain. Edge was on him in seconds, using his pack to support Stretch’s back as he coaxed him into a better position. He glanced up to Stretch for permission before opening his legs and checking his progress, breathing sharply before he beamed back up at Stretch. 

“I Can Feel Their Head. I’m-” Edge had to stop himself as tears fell from his sockets, his face a picture of pure wonder. “I Can’t Believe We’re Going To Be Parents, I’d Given Up All Hope That I’d Ever See You And Now-” Edge leaned up to kiss Stretch’s skull, making them both gasp at the contact. Edge was so overcome with emotion but he managed to get in position between Stretch’s legs, looking back up at him and making Stretch’s soul melt with the adoration in his face. “You Can Do This Honey Bear, Just A Little More, I Love You So Much.”

Stretch had to laugh at the use of his pet name, smiling back at Edge despite everything that was happening. His husband’s words had given him the second wind he needed, he braced himself against the wall, took a few calming breaths and pushed. The first attempt didn’t work, but with Edge coaching him through it wasn’t long before he felt his insides shifting and felt their baby being born. Hearing the newborn’s cry hit him like a ton of bricks, the mix of emotions being almost too much to bear. Edge whispered praises as he wrapped their baby, their _daughter_ , in the cloth and handed her to Stretch. 

He knew he had a parent’s bias, but Stretch felt like his baby bones was the most beautiful monster he’d ever seen. Edge was just as enamored, coming to Stretch’s side to give him a drink while never taking his eyes off their precious bundle. She was the perfect mix of both her parents; she had Stretch’s softer bone structure and eyes lit up by Edge’s deep red magic. She was absolutely perfect and her cries gradually faded to gurgling happily as Stretch rocked her in his tired arms.

A flurry of movement caught Edge’s attention, almost making him spring to his feet before he saw his brother running through the door. 

“it's just me.” Red said breathlessly, panting hard with the effort of having run to find them. “i slipped back through the smoke door, they’re all gone as far as i know.” he took a few moments to catch his breath before making his way over with a huge grin on his face. “so, got someone ya want me to meet?”

Edge scoffed at his brother’s antics before Stretch elbowed him in the ribs, the familiarity of that interaction not lost on any of them. While it felt good to relive the past, there was living proof of their future in his arms. Red approached cautiously, like he didn’t want to intrude, but Edge pulled him over as soon as he got in arm's length. He had tears in his sockets when Stretch handed him his niece, all of them overcome with emotion as they held each other close. There was so much Stretch wanted to say to them both, but words didn’t come close to being able to express how he felt in that moment. 

Their situation was far from perfect, and they had a long road ahead that would be littered with fear and suffering, but Stretch’s dream of his family being happy together didn’t seem as unobtainable now.

**Author's Note:**

> spoiler notes: Edgepuff is implied but it's a misunderstanding, there is no cheating in the fic but stretch thinks there is so it explores how he feels about that. Death and peril is present for the main characters, and there are times where they think they're going to die, but this fic does not have any character death.


End file.
